Home in His Arms
by Commandant Bonaparte
Summary: Adopted by the discontinued fanfic made by LittleMissWolfie. Years after 02, Takeru never expected her to drop by at his house in the middle of the night with her son. Amidst buried feelings, he tries to help out a best friend in need. But could such feelings stay hidden for so long?
1. Chapter 1

**This is based by the discpntinued fic written by LittleMissWolfie, which was up for adoption. I decided to take it in, partly out of this desire to satiate some old shipping feels and partly out of a desire to see how this story plays out.**

 **Note: This story's ratings may change in the future to correspond with the mature themes of this story. I won't update regularly given my upcoming A -Levels in November, but I'll try my best if I have any free time.**

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The night was silent at the Takaishi residence. There was no thunderstorm, no howling winds; nothing that would disclose the events that were about to occur that night.

The Takaishi residence was a house that stood out from the rest of the nearby houses in the neighborhood, due to it being constructed in a unique and perfect harmonization of traditional Japanese and Western architecture. Its stone-grey structure gave it a somewhat more modest appearance despite its noticeably large size.

The house was actually constructed during the early 1910s by an English poet who had decided to set up a permanent residence in Japan. The house managed to live past its owner and miraculously through the ravages of the war. The house eventually fell into the possession of the poet's family for generations, costing about a fortune that would have deterred most people who were drawn in by the allure of the house.

But for Takeru Takaishi, such costs did not deter him. He was able to purchase the house thanks to his earnings as a renowned writer, and he and his newly wedded wife were able to move into the house. Takeru had a certain attachment to this particular house, due to his own French roots on his mother's side of the family. His wife Tetsumi noted that the house really suited him and his tastes.

Takeru sighed as he rested into his seat; notebooks filled with crinkled pages were laid out before him on his desk. Eraser dust was strewn everywhere, coupled with pencil shavings. The man then turned behind to gaze at his partner, Patamon, who was snuggled up against the blankets of his bed, sleeping soundly. But for Takeru himself, sleep seemed to elude him at every corner.

Ever since he started working on a draft for his new story, Takeru had difficulty in getting enough sleep while struggling to keep up with the deadline of his story. This, however, only added to the burden of being a single parent. If Tetsumi was still around, Takeru could stay up as late as he wanted, since she would always be there to wake him up in case he is late for work. She would then prepare breakfast for the family while he will wake up their son for school.

Speaking of his wife, the man could not help but sadly look back at the photograph that was framed on his desk. In the photograph contained a young beautiful woman with wavy black hair, and blue eyes that matched his own. She wore a simple white sundress, standing in front of the garden of their house. She held in her delicate arms a bundle of blankets that wrapped around a tiny head that was topped with blonde locks of hair.

But ever since that fatal accident, Takeru had to cope with the struggles of being a single parent and a writer at the same time. He now knew what his mom had to go through when she and his dad had split up, having to cope with deadlines while driving his son to school everyday.

Letting out another sigh, Takeru decided to go to the kitchen to get a glass of water, or anything else that could cure him of his little insomnia.

He walked past the nearby bedroom, the door left slightly ajar. Takeru peered into the room, and saw his son Takuo inside. Like Patamon, the little tyke was fast asleep, comfortably wrapped in a bundle of blankets.

Takeru sadly smiled to himself as he quietly closed the door, and proceeded to the kitchen. He wondered how his son had felt since Tetsumi's passing. He knew the pain of having a single parent, but unlike with his own parents, Takuo had no chance of seeing his mother again.

Entering the kitchen, Takeru picked up a small glass from the cabinet and filled it with warm water from the kitchen sink. Proceeding to guzzle down its contents, Takeru could feel the effects of drowsiness beginning to take the desired effect. His eyes began to droop slightly, his grip on the empty glass slackening. He made sure to put the glass back into the cabinet in case he accidentally drops it.

Satisfied, he walked out of the kitchen and was about to go back up to his room to finally take a well-deserved rest. Suddenly, he heard frantic knocking on the front door that momentarily snapped him out of his trance.

Letting out a small groan of frustration, Takeru started to the door. _Who could be coming at this hour?!_ He thought to himself, bewildered.

He reached for the door and pulled it open, prepared to give whoever was at the door a piece of his mind. He was already in desperate need for some sleep, and had little time for pleasantries.

However, his held his tongue once he saw who was at the door.

It was her. His first love.

"Hikari?" Takeru exclaimed in shock. Anything related to sleep immediately went out the window upon seeing her. She looked slightly disheveled, looking just as sleep-deprived as he is. Her shoulder-length hair of auburn, usually straight, was now ruffled. Her reddish-brown eyes seemed…frightened, and seemed as if she had been crying.

Despite this, in his eyes, she still looked as lovely as ever.

By her side, stood her twelve-year old son Yuuji. Even after seeing him for so many years, he couldn't help but notice his uncanny resemblance to his mother, from the shape of his face to his mop of brown hair that was similar to his mother's when she was only eight. Like his mother, Yuuji looked dead tired, leaning against his mother's side for support.

But Takeru also noticed the hands that firmly held Yuuji's shoulders. They seemed to be trembling. Shock was soon overtaken by concern. "What's wrong?"

"Takeru…I'm sorry for coming here at this hour, but can we come in for the night?" Hikari asked, a slight tremor in her usually kind and gentle voice. So slight, that only someone as close to her as Takeru could detect.

Takeru nodded, and opened the door wider to let the two in. He directed the two to the living room couch, and knelt forward to Yuuji, giving as much as a fatherly look to the boy as he could despite his own exhaustion. "Yuuji?"

The boy drowsily looked at Takeru in response. "I bet you're tired. You can sleep in the guest room if you would like."

Hikari smiled gratefully at Takeru as he guided her son up the stairs to one of the guest rooms. Once Yuuji quietly went inside, Takeru shut the door behind him and proceeded back to the living room.

"Hikari, you look terrible…" Takeru looked at the shaken woman sitting on the couch before him. "Do you want a drink or something?"

Hikari simply shook her head. She was too exhausted from the strains of today's work… and what had happened earlier… "Thanks for letting us stay, Takeru," she softly spoke, staring blankly down at the floor. "I'm really sorry for barging in like this…"

"It's okay, Hikari. You're free to stay here as long as you like." Takeru said, moving to sit beside Hikari. He then held her hands gently. "What's going on? Does Hijeme know that you're here?"

Suddenly, upon hearing the mention of her husband's name, Hikari clasped her hands around her mouth and let out a choking sob. Takeru could see tears beginning to brim in her bloodshot eyes, and immediately regretted whatever he had said.

"Hikari, it's okay." Takeru placed a reassuring arm on her shoulder. "You can tell me what's wrong."

After a few seconds passed by, Hikari reluctantly lowered her arms. She turned her head to face Takeru, and she could see in those mesmerizing blue eyes an expression of concern. It was a look that she had not seen for such a long time. Those eyes gave her reassurance, and she calmed down.

Wiping her eyes of tears, she began to speak.

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/

 _One hour ago…_

Hikari Yagami pulled up her car on the drive of her home. She heaved a sigh of relief as she parked the car and undid her seatbelt; exhaustion had filled her eyes as she struggled to keep them open. Beside her was Yuuji, who was leaning against the window, an expression of peace on his face as he slept. Hikari then gave her son a gentle nudge on the shoulder as she opened the car door. "Come on, Yuuji. We're home."

In response, the boy let out a soft and disappointed moan as he stretched his arms and yawned. Hikari hated to wake up her son up like that, knowing how exhausted he was. But she had no choice, unless she wanted him to sleep in the car as opposed to the comfort that his bed had to offer.

Guiding her son out of the car, Hikari then walked to the back and opened the car door. In the back seat, Tailmon slept just as peacefully as Yuuji. She was peacefully curled up, her arms and legs tucked underneath her body. Hikari then roused her partner from a peaceful slumber, telling her that they're home.

Hikari had just came back, picking up Yuuji from school. He had some club activities going on that required for him to stay back a lot later than usual. Fortunately, dinner was provided for the club, so Hikari did not have to worry about Yuuji not having enough to eat. Before that, Hikari was preoccupied with a staff meeting in school. She had to go through with the rest of the teachers regarding plans for upcoming school events. By the end of the day, she too was just as drained as her son was.

As she ushered Yuuji to the door, she noticed something odd at the entrance. Her husband, Hijeme's black office shoes were loosely scattered at the side of the entrance door. Hikari was curious, since Hijeme was an organized person; he had always arranged his shoes in order so as not to stress Hikari out when cleaning the house.

But what really caught her attention was a pair of pink high-heeled shoes that lay scattered next to Hijeme's shoes. She never recalled buying shoes like these, much less wearing them before.

Shaking her doubts away, Hikari opened the door and entered the house. However, she could still feel a sense of unease in her stomach.

"Hijeme? We're home." Hikari called out as she placed her handbag on the coffee table.

There was no response.

Feeling her anxiety spike up again, Hikari decided to go to their bedroom. _He must be asleep already. It_ is _pretty late._ She thought to herself, in hopes that the uneasy feeling in her stomach would subside.

Hikari tiptoed to the bedroom and quietly opened the door to peer in. "Hijeme?" She whispered, careful not to disturb her loving husband.

But what she saw turned all of her fears into reality.

Her husband Hijeme was sleeping peacefully on their bed, his half-naked torso was barely obscured by the sheets. But what truly horrified her was the bed's other occupant; a beautiful woman with long blonde hair. Hijeme's arm was wrapped around her sheet-covered torso, pulling her figure into his body. Clothes law strewn all over the floor, underwear included.

Suddenly, Hikari felt the world around her begin to distort and fall apart. She instinctively leaned hopelessly against the frame of the door, trying to comprehend the sight before her. The air that was filled with sweat and sex soon became a putrid stench that induced Hikari with a sense of overwhelming nausea.

She slid against the doorframe, no longer able to support her body weight as her legs began to feel weak. Tears began to flow freely down her face as she struggled to breathe against that nauseating feeling.

 _No. No. No. No. This can't be happening! This is just a bad dream! Hijeme would never do something like this! NEVER!_

Unable to bear the sight of her husband any longer, Hikari struggled to stand up, trying to remain undetected by the room's occupants. She staggered back to the living room where her son and Tailmon were waiting. The former had taken sleep on the couch, too tired to make the trip to his bedroom.

"Hikari? What happened?" Tailmon gasped in shock as she saw the terrible state that her partner was in. All thoughts of sleep had been flushed out of system. She rushed forward as Hikari fell to her knees, hands cupped to her face as she tried to stifle her sobs.

Tailmon gripped her wrists, trying to pull them away from Hikari's face. "Hikari. What's going on? What happened with Hijeme?"

Suddenly, Hikari wrenched herself free from Tailmon's grip, exposing her bloodshot eyes that were mangled by the tears that were still flowing down her cheeks. "Tailmon…" she choked. "Get some my clothes from my bedroom… And some of Yuuji's clothes too. I'll bring Yuuji to Takeru's place. C-Can you meet us there later once you're done?"

"Okay." Tailmon nodded. But before she could head to the room, she felt Hikari tug her back by the arm.

The cat digimon turned and saw a pleading look on Hikari's tear-streaked face. "When- when you enter my bedroom… Please… Don't get angry. D-Don't do anything to Hijeme…Please…"

Reluctantly, Tailmon nodded and proceeded to rush to Yuuji's room. Whatever was bothering Hikari, it must have something to do with Hijeme.

As Tailmon disappeared from sight, Hikari got back on her feet and walked to the slumbering form of her son. Nudging her son to wake him up, Hikari wiped her tears clean so that her son would not notice.

Shaken awake by his mother, Yuuji drowsily opened his eyes and looked up. He saw his mother with eyes that looked both lost and forlorn.

"Mo-Mom?" Yuuji exclaimed in shock and concern. "What's wrong? Where's daddy?"

Hikari fought back the urge to let the tears leak out again. Biting her lip, she gave her son a reassuring smile. "It's nothing, dear. We're going to uncle Takeru's place for tonight."

Yuuji's eyes widened in shock upon hearing his mother's words. "B-but why? We already have a home to stay in. Why do we need to stay at uncle Takeru's place?"

"It's getting late, dear, so I'll explain it to you tomorrow. Anyways it'll be Saturday tomorrow so there'll be no school. You can play with Takuo tomorrow if you would like."

Even though his mother's words seemed calm, they did little to reassure the little boy. He could see in his mother's eyes that something was greatly distressing her, something very painful. But he decided not to speak another word of protest, fearing that he might say something hurtful.

Reluctantly, Yuuji nodded as his mother ushered in into the car once again. Once every thing was settled, Hikari drove off into the night, to the one person that she could trust.

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/

As she finally concluded everything that had transpired that night, the dam began to break. Hikari fell forward into Takeru's neck, and flung her arms around him letting out a choked sob. Takeru instinctively wrapped his own arms around her petite body comfortingly, allowing Hikari to cry and cry and cry as much as she could into his shoulder.

"I just… I couldn't think of anywhere else to go! Taichi's in the Digital World on business, Sora and Yamato are having their anniversary trip today, Ken and Miyako are already busy with their family already…" Hikari continued to sob, holding onto Takeru as if he were her only life support.

Takeru could feel his shirt getting soaked as Hikari cried on and on. He hadn't felt Hikari hold onto him for so long with such desperation… They had held each other so many times in the past; in the relative innocence of their childhood days, and the not-so-innocent days of their teenage years. A strange feeling began to spread all over the blonde.

But none of that mattered now. What mattered was that his best friend was in need. He had to take care of her, just like he'd promised Taichi all those years ago.

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 **END OF CHAPTER 1**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi, guys! This will be the last update in a while, now that I have to focus back on my exams. I'm so glad I managed to do pretty well for my prelims, though I shouldn't get complacent. Anyways, here's the second chapter! Don't forget to put in your reviews, and thanks for favoriting and following my story. But the real credit ought to go to LittleMissWolfie for leaving this fic up for adoption!**

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"Are you sure you don't need anything else?" Takeru asked as he held open the door to one of the guest rooms.

The brunette before him shook her head as she entered. She gave him a small smile that drastically contrasted with her exhausted eyes and tear-stained cheeks.

"It's fine, Takeru." Hikari replied. "I just need some sleep. It's been a long day, and I'm really tired."

"Okay, then." Takeru responded with a somber smile of his own. Although letting Hikari stay over at his place was the least he could do, he wished that he could do more for his best friend. A best friend who just been betrayed by the man she loved. A best friend he once loved.

"Oh, and Takeru…" Just as he was about to close the door, Takeru heard a voice call out to him. He looked and saw Hikari stare at him, that small smile still present. "Thanks." Her gentle voice left her lips.

Takeru could only reply with a nod as he turned around and quietly shut the door behind him. He sighed as he walked back down the stairs to the living room. Sleep would have to wait until Tailmon is here with Hikari and Yuuji's belongings.

 _Knock, knock, knock_

Speaking of the devil, Takeru heard the sounds of rapping on the door. He opened the door and saw Tailmon at the doorstep, in her arms were two large duffel bags each of them were larger than her. Takeru would have been impressed by how she was able to carry them with such ease if not for the fact that he knew that Tailmon is an Adult digimon.

"Hello, Takeru." Tailmon politely replied as she stepped inside.

Takeru took one of the duffel bags and the two of them placed them on the couch. Tailmon leapt onto a chair, leaning back against the seat and let out a sigh.

"How's Hikari?" Tailmon asked, turning to Takeru, a look of concern on her face.

The straw-haired man sat down across the table, meeting the cat digimon eye to eye. "She's okay," Takeru replied. "She's asleep right now in one of the guest rooms."

"That's a relief." Tailmon sighed. Suddenly, her tail swished around in obvious agitation.

"I can't believe that… _man_ …would betray her like that." a low growl escaped her throat and her pupils briefly darkened.

Takeru sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He understood how Tailmon feels right now. It was hard to believe Hijeme would cheat on Hikari, after he vowed to take care of her when Taichi allowed him to marry his little sister. How dare that bastard play with her feelings! How dare he break her heart for another woman! He wondered to himself how hard he should punch Hijeme in the face, to break his face in.

Takeru's eyes widened as those dark thoughts rushed through his head. He suddenly became frightened and ashamed of himself, of the anger that was building up inside him. He hadn't felt this way for a long time… not since his confrontation with Ken while he was still the Digimon Emperor.

He stood up abruptly, and walked to the sofa where the duffel bags lay. "Tailmon," he turned around. "Which one of these is Hikari's?"

The cat digimon relaxed her shoulders; the anger in her eyes soon subsided. "The one on the right." She then let out a yawn and began to curl up her body, preparing to sleep. Although part of her wanted to go up and sleep with Hikari to comfort her, she decided to sleep out in the living room for tonight. After what Hikari had gone through, Tailmon thought she would need some time alone.

Takeru picked up the duffel bag that Tailmon pointed to, and began ascending the stairs to the guest room where Hikari was sleeping in. Taking care not to make too much noise, he slowly twisted the doorknob. He carefully pushed it open, the creaking of the door barely audible to the human ear.

He tiptoed across the bedroom and placed the duffel bag at the corner of the room. Takeru turned to walk out of the room, when he saw Hikari's curled up in the blankets. She had already fallen asleep.

Suddenly, against his better judgement, Takeru crept his way to the edge of the bed and sat down. He gazed at Hikari's sleeping figure, the blankets wrapped around her body.

Despite that, Takeru could still see her petite figure slowly rise and fall as she breathed. Her hair, which had grown since her teenage days, was now splayed out on the soft pillows. It gave her a graceful appearance, like an angel in mid-flight, frozen in time.

Takeru's eyes became fixated on her facial features. Her tear-stained cheeks failed to mar her impeccable complexion, her beetle-leg's eyelashes giving her a peaceful look. Her delicate and small nose was sculpted into perfection. The calamine-pink lips he had kissed dozens of times all those years ago. Takeru felt like he was looking at a goddess.

A somber smile formed on his own lips as he gently stretched out his fingers, preparing to stroke her elegant jaw line. To feel her smooth and flawless skin. To feel the chocolate-colored locks of her hair, which was like silk in his touch.

His fingers were just millimeters away from her skin, moving ever closer. His heart began thumping wildly underneath his chest; a strange dormant feeling soon began creeping over him.

Suddenly, as if frightened by this feeling, his hand immediately jerked away from Hikari's face. He clutched his fingers, as if trying to hold himself back from reaching out for Hikari. That fear was soon replaced by a sense of self-revulsion. He shouldn't be doing this. Taking advantage of his best friend, when she had gone through the worst emotional turmoil in her life.

Not only that, it would also be an insult to Tetsumi's memory. He may be a widower, but that doesn't mean that he should be unfaithful to his beloved wife. If he did this, he would be just like Hijeme. The thought of that outright repulsed him, and it did more than enough to retract his hand.

He slowly got up to his feet, taking a few steps backward. His gaze still fixed on Hikari, who was still sleeping peacefully. His hand still clutched his wrist as he slowly edged towards the door.

Still not turning around, he let go of his wrist and reached for the doorknob, twisting it and pulling it open. He inched through the opening, and out of the room. Giving one last look at the sleeping woman, he shut the door behind him, and headed back to his bedroom. It was time to get some sleep.

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The ringing of an alarm clock pervaded the blissful silence that had filled the room. Takeru groaned as he ripped the bed sheets of his body and tossed them aside. He groggily stretched his arm out for the alarm clock, trying to shut the infernal sound off.

After several failed attempts, he finally came in contact with the clock. He slammed his palm on top, shutting it off. Takeru sat up and rubbed his eyes, letting out a yawn. He then heard a muffled yawn beside him, and he saw a small round figure beneath the blankets. Tugging the covers away, he saw his snuggle-worthy partner give him that adorable look on his face.

"Morning, Takeru!" Patamon chirped, flapping into Takeru's arms.

Takeru smiled at his beloved partner. "Morning Patamon."

Still holding his partner in his arms, Takeru climbed out of the bed and made his way downstairs. He hoped to make a nice breakfast for his partner and son, and his new guests as well.

Suddenly, Patamon's nose began to twitch, sniffing the air. "Takeru, I smell something cooking downstairs." His stubby little tail perked upwards in delight.

Curious, Takeru picked up the pace and rushed downstairs. Midway, he soon caught whiff of the smell as well. It was the faint fumes of grease, the smell of the griddle wafting around the room.

Reaching the dining room, they saw Tailmon sitting at the table, eating a delicious-looking set of bacon and eggs.

"Tailmon!" Patamon elatedly cried out, wriggling himself free from Takeru's arms to greet his friend. Tailmon likewise leapt off the chair to greet him as well.

As the two digimon have their little reunion, Takeru immediately followed the fragrant smell that came from the kitchen. Entering the kitchen, he saw Hikari standing at the stove.

Unlike Takeru, who still looked rather sloppy and groggy from his lack of sleep, Hikari looked completely neat and fresh. Compared to Takeru's shaggy hair that stood out at different angles, hers was perfectly combed straight. She wore a different set of clothes, consisting of a pink short-sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans. Tied around her slender waist was a red apron.

Takeru couldn't help but stare in admiration. She looked a completely different person from the woman who was crying in his arms the night before.

Hikari turned around and saw Takeru, which caused him to jolt in surprise at how she knew he was behind her. "Oh, Takeru!" she pleasantly cried out in surprise. "You're awake already. I'm making breakfast for everyone right now."

She then motioned to the frying pan in front of her, where Takeru could see the bacon sizzling in the grease. Next to the stove were several plates, each of them containing a couple of fried eggs. Takeru tried his best not to lick his lips at the sight. It reminded him of his brother's and wife's cooking.

But Takeru could not help but feel a strong pang of guilt that overrode his hunger. His best friend is probably still trying to cope with what happened, and here she is cooking for him when it should be he to do so. It felt like he was taking advantage of her.

"Hikari," Takeru frowned. "You really don't have to do this for me. I should be the one cooking breakfast for you, since you're my guest."

Hikari simply took the bacon out from the frying pan, placing them onto the plates. "It's the very least I could do, Takeru. You're already letting me and Yuuji stay over at your place, and that's enough for me."

She then took one of the plates and handed it to Takeru. Still not convinced, he tried to form a word of protest. However, he was abruptly cut off by the rumbling of his stomach. His cheeks immediately turned into a fade shade of pink. The brunette, on the other hand, simply gave him a reassuring smile that would have made many men swoon. "Come on, eat up. You must be hungry." She said as she picked up the other plates and exited the kitchen. Takeru couldn't help but let out a light chuckle of embarrassment as he walked out as well.

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/

In a bedroom upstairs, an eleven year-old boy yawned as he stretched out his limbs, finally waking up from his slumber. Pushing aside the covers, he turned to sit at the edge of his bed. He gazed drowsily at the floor, and wiggled his toes.

Getting off the bed, he shuffled to the bathroom to wash up. As he arrived at the sink and brushed his teeth, he stared at his own reflection in the mirror.

Takuo Takaishi was the splitting image of his father, from the color of his hair right down to his facial features. He shared his father's straw-blonde hair and his sapphire orbs for pupils.

But one noticeable difference between father and son was that Takuo had inherited his late mother's personality. Much like his mother, he had a witty sense of humor despite his relatively young age. The little rascal never failed to entertain the other DigiDestined kids with his jokes during their reunions, such as poking fun at the adults here and there. Despite that, he still had his parents', both mother and father's, heart of gold.

But after the tragic accident that claimed the life of his mother one year ago, Takuo's smile was never the same. While he wasn't at all totally depressed, his smile now lacked the old mischief. It felt somewhat plastic. Because the old smile reminded him of his mother.

Finally done with washing up, Takuo changed himself into a pair of shorts and a long-sleeved shirt, which was white with grass-green sleeves. He left the bedroom and walked down the stairs, unenthusiastically awaiting breakfast prepared by his old man. It wasn't that his father's cooking skills were bad per se, but he was certainly no uncle Yamato, whose cooking skills have been refined having to support a family without a mother to manage things. The fact that his dad was always busy with his work as a novelist certainly didn't help.

But an unfamiliar smell tickled his nostrils with its fragrance, which ignited the hunger in Takuo's stomach. It strongly smelt of bacon and eggs, something that his father usually never cooked.

"Good morning, dad." He greeted while barely suppressing a yawn, anticipating his father to be waiting downstairs for him. As he reached the dining room, he saw his father sitting at the dining table as expected. Patamon was sitting comfortably at the edge of the table, munching on some eggs.

But what caught him by surprise was a familiar-looking woman with shoulder-length brown hair sitting next to his father. And sitting in front of her next to Patamon was a familiar white cat with large yellow paws and a purple-striped tail.

"Good morning, Takuo." The woman gave a warm gentle smile that Takuo could easily recognise.

"Aunt Hikari! " Takuo cried out happily as he rushed towards the brunette, hugging her around the waist, while Hikari ruffled the boy's hair.

Takeru could not help but smile as he watched the two as he sipped his coffee. His son had always enjoyed spending time with Hikari. She is a kindergarten teacher, so knowing how to spend time with kids shouldn't really surprise him.

But what really surprised Takeru was how his son always looked at Hikari whenever she comes to visit. While no one else seemed to notice it, but Takeru would occasionally catch the twinkling of Takuo's eyes. They seem to glimmer with a sense of admiration and awe, and after Tetsumi was gone, that glimmer had seemed to double.

"Takuo!" Everyone heard a voice excitedly cry out from above. Everyone turned around and saw Yuuji descend the stairs. The boy's eyes were still half-shut, and his usually neatly combed hair stood frazzled at different angles, as if he just recovered from being struck by lightning.

"Yuuji!" Takuo elatedly cried out as well, releasing his grip on Hikari and rushed towards the chocolate-haired boy. As they met at the foot of the stairway, the pair immediately gave each other a high five.

Both Takeru and Hikari smiled fondly as their sons greeted each other. Since they were just babies, Takuo and Yuuji became fast friends. They always played with each other during their parents' DigiDestined reunions. Whether it be the real world or the digital world, the pair were practically inseparable.

Hikari could not help but recall a memory from over ten years ago. It felt so long ago, yet it also felt so close to her heart.

* * *

/

 _"He's a beautiful baby, isn't he?" A beautiful young woman with wavy black hair in her mid-twenties leaned over the edge of the cot._

" _He certainly is." Hikari smiled in response as she stared down at the cot. Lying inside was a little baby boy who was fast asleep, comfortably wrapped in a bundle of blankets. Hikari could make out a tuft of blonde hair on the top of the little thing's head._

 _Hikari then gazed fondly at the other baby she held in her gentle motherly arms, her infant son Yuuji, who was cuddled against her chest. Unlike the one sleeping in the cot, this baby's head was adorned with chocolate-brown hair._

 _Suddenly, both women heard the sounds of disturbed coos from the cot, before it broke out into a full-blown bawling. Startled, the woman picked up the crying infant into her arms and pulled him into her chest, rocking him gently to calm him down._

 _But the loud incessant cries of the little blonde baby caused Yuuji to stir, who began to whimper as tears welled up in his eyes. Hikari immediately rocked the baby to calm him down before he could start crying as well._

 _"Come on, it's okay. Mummy's here to take care of you." The woman whispered to the blonde baby in her arms, still rocking him gently to try and calm him down. She continued to whisper soothing words into the baby's ear, and soon, the blonde baby's cries died down into little sniffles._

 _With the crying gone, Yuuji began to calm down as well. But to Hikari's surprise, the baby soon twisted sideways to face the woman, or more specifically, the baby in her arms._

 _Ruby eyes soon came in contact with sapphire ones, as both babies began staring at each other with curiosity. After a few seconds, Yuuji leaned forward with a tiny arm reached out to touch the other baby, who simply stared at Yuuji with head tilted sideways._

 _Hikari couldn't help but giggle at the adorable sight. "I think Yuuji wants to play with your son, Tetsumi."_

 _Tetsumi smiled warmly and nodded in response. Shuffling carefully, she rearranged her baby boy in a position where he could face Yuuji. The baby soon stretched out his own arm, reaching out for Yuuji's own. Both hands made contact, and almost instinctively, their fingers intertwined with one another._

 _Hikari and Tetsumi sighed contently as their sons cooed in response to their little stubs for fingers interlocking as if trying to make their own form of handshake._

 _Little did both mothers realise it, but this little handshake would mark the start of a long friendship. The first time both Yuuji and Takuo met each other face to face._

* * *

/

END OF CHAPTER 2


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